Benefits of Marine Pine Bark Extract – Pycnogenol?

Extracts of Pinus pinaster have a long history in traditional medicine or ethnomedicine. Commonly, these extracts are referred to as marine pine bark extract–they’re sold as a dietary supplement known by the proprietary name, Pycnogenol®.

Marine pine bark extract has established antioxidant effects and potential use in promoting cardiovascular health. In fact, its antioxidant effects were known dating back to Hippocrates and were further established by modern scientists.

Researchers from Pakistan published a recent review of pine bark extract in the journal of ethnopharmacology [1].

Surprisingly, there are no shortage of medical conditions for with pine bark extract has been studied. In many areas, there’s very limited data available in terms of randomized controlled trials in humans.

Some of the promising areas appear to be in treating osteoarthritis and reducing cardiovascular risk factors particularly in those with diabetes. With all of the conditions listed below, pine bark extract looks like a modern-day snake oil or cure-all. However, keep in mind that this information is not definitive and based on limited data.

Biological Effects of Pycnogenol:

antioxidant activity – the antioxidant activity of pycnogenol has primarily been demonstrated in rat models. PBE has shown to protect against ischemic as well as reperfusion injury. PBE has also shown some activity as an antioxidant with in vivo models.

anti-inflammatory activity – in human volunteers, PBE has been shown to inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes.

antiviral activity – PBE may be a promising agent for viral myositis as well as a potential again for HIV-1.

Potential Health Benefits of Pycnogenol

cardiovascular disorders– There have been several clinical trials of pycnogenol in patients with vascular diseases.

atherosclerosis – PBE has shown some promising results with in vitro studies, but controlled human trials are necessary.

venous insufficiency – This is essentially a condition in which your veins have trouble sending blood back to the heart. PBE at doses of 150 mg/d or 300 mg/d were shown to achieve a significant level of improvement.

Diabetes – Further research is required, but PBE appears to have beneficial effects on diabetic retinopathy, glucose regulation, and diabetic ulcers.

Cramps and muscular pain – studies have shown that PBE is effective at reducing muscle pain and cramps in athletes, patients with venous insufficiency, and patients with intermittent claudication or peripheral artery disease.

Cancer – One limited study found that supplementation with PBE improved tolerance to chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Glaucoma – One study cited by the review authors found that PBE was effective at lowering intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma. Further research is needed in this area.

Osteoarthritis – Compared to many of the previously mentioned conditions, there are more research studies evaluating the effectiveness of pine bark extract for treating osteoarthritis. These studies suggest that PBE extract at daily doses of 150 mg/d appear to be effective for reducing arthritis pain, improving function, and decreasing patients’ need for anti-inflammatory medication.

Wrinkles – When combined in a pill with evening primrose oil as well as vitamin E and C, pine bark extract was effective at reducing wrinkles (Botox® cosmetic for wrinkles) as well as UV-induced skin pigmentation in a randomized controlled trial.

I just started taking pine bark extract and I would like to know if this will affect my platelets. My platelets do not stick well together, and after taking one supplement of 120 mg. , the next morning I had a broken blood vessel in my eye. Should I not be taking this because of my platelet problem? For instance, I do not take aspirin because of its blood thinning properties. Thank you. Sue Fernandez